This is how Amsterdam helps drivers adapt to new 30 km/h limits
The traffic authorities tap into some psychology hacks to train road users for the new reality
Head to the Far North or to the Far South to breathe easily
Yesterday, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published its annual ranking report on the air quality of European cities. Once again, the data shows that the municipalities that perform best in that respect tend to be located in two distinctive geographical regions of the continent – Scandinavia and Southern Portugal (including Madeira).
Getting more specific, the city that boasts the most pristine air in Europe is Uppsala (Sweden), with 3.5 micrograms of fine particles per cubic metre. This municipality, located north of the capital Stockholm, has implemented a variety of measures to achieve success.
Uppsala has introduced measures such as banning studded tyres on parts of its main streets, a 30 km/h-zone in the city centre, an environmental zone for heavy vehicles, better cleaning of streets and signal prioritization for buses. In addition, the residents are encouraged to use more sustainable means of mobility, such as cycling, and the local culture facilitates getting into that mindset.
The other best performers in the top three are another Swedish city – Umeå (in the north of Sweden) and Faro (in the south of Portugal).
What’s easily notable is the geographical stratification (and grouping) of cities with the cleanest air in Europe. There is the larger region of Scandinavia and a smaller one that includes the southernmost extremities of Portugal (including its Atlantic island of Madeira).
The viewer shows that only 13 European cities had average fine particulate concentrations that were below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) health-based guideline level of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (5 μg/m3). These cities include four northern capitals: Reykjavik, Tallinn, Stockholm and Helsinki.
The Environment Agency studies the levels of fine particulate matter in over 350 cities from across 30 EEA member countries. Data comes from on-the-ground measurements of fine particulate matter, taken by over 500 monitoring stations.
It’s the first local authority in Austria to take this bold step
The traffic authorities tap into some psychology hacks to train road users for the new reality
Benoît Payan has an idea to reorganize the work of the city administration
The municipality provides the tool to encourage more sustainable thinking and planning in the field of urban design
The energy-saving devices are part of a wider programme on the part of the Spanish municipality to show support for local SMEs
Despite the small scale of an SMR, it won’t be cheap to build, and it could become a reality only in the next decade
The municipality provides the tool to encourage more sustainable thinking and planning in the field of urban design
The Danube Delta municipality is to surround itself with even more nature
It’s the first local authority in Austria to take this bold step
The historical document is set to be sold at an auction, but the Belgian city feels the document might have been stolen from its archives
And in other German cities, too
The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself
An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö
A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital